With over 40 full-time staff and many additional members of faculty – including emeritus professors, research fellows and visiting scholars, as well as almost 100 doctoral research students -- the School of English supports a wide variety of specialist researchers with interests ranging from Early Modern culture through to linguistics, drama and twenty-first century literature.
The diverse research skills of members of faculty and their commitment to progressive critical analysis place Sussex at the forefront of English studies in the UK, developing and extending the boundaries of the subject. Members of faculty include academics of international standing, editors of major scholarly journals, authors of groundbreaking academic books and scholars whose recent work has earned them international recognition, grants and prizes.
A strong culture of research exists within the School. We have long-established links with external partners, including the Charleston Literary Festival, the Brighton Festival, the Globe Theatre, and various National Trust properties in Sussex. We also support a large number of specialist Research Centres which host activities ranging from conferences and colloquia to professorial lectures by distinguished visiting scholars.
Faculty research strengths and interests range across most periods of English literature and contemporary critical theory, including American literature, drama and performance, Renaissance writing and culture, Victorian literature, visual culture, postcolonial studies, poetry, modern and contemporary literature, language and linguistics, literature and philosophy, creative and critical writing. These research strengths inspire our curriculum at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, giving rise to a host of specialist courses.
Sussex research students benefit not only from a wide range of faculty expertise, but also from the support of our dedicated Doctoral School. You can contact them for advice and support on undertaking a PhD at Sussex, even prior to making your application: doctoralschool@sussex.ac.uk